"TRABAHO PARA SA BAYAN": DEPDev’s 10-Year Masterplan For High-Quality Job Creation And Labor Market Transformation

“With our collective effort, we will create an inclusive, efficient, and dynamic labor market environment where Filipinos can access meaningful, quality jobs, enabling them to have a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay.” – Socioeconomic Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) on May 5, 2025, launched the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan 2025–2034, the Philippines’ first 10-year Labor Market Development Plan.

The Marcos administration is determined to fully implement the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan, emphasizing its strong commitment to improving job quality and addressing persistent labor market issues. I Photos: Philippine Information Agency / DEPDev

This national master plan for employment generation and recovery is mandated by Republic Act No. 11962 (Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act), signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on September 27, 2023.

The TPB Plan is hailed as a landmark initiative that outlines a long-term strategic blueprint for job creation, labor market transformation, and inclusive workforce development over the next decade.

It aligns with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028 and AmBisyon Natin 2040, according to the department.

The PDP 2023–2028 is described as “a plan for deep economic and social transformation to reinvigorate job creation and accelerate poverty reduction by steering the economy back onto a high-growth path,” while AmBisyon Natin 2040 “is the long-term vision that aims for a prosperous, predominantly middle-class Philippine society by 2040.”

The launch of Trabaho Para sa Bayan comes at a timely juncture, following the recent signing of the Economy, Planning, and Development Act (Republic Act No. 12145), which transformed the National Economic and Development Authority into DEPDev and enhanced the government’s capacity for strategic foresight and long-term policy coherence.

DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said, “This transformation strengthens our mandate as we integrate various socioeconomic goals into a unified and forward-looking strategy that truly benefits all Filipinos.”

“We assure our stakeholders that DEPDev will play a proactive and enabling role in developing policies and programs to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth, foster quality job creation, and produce a competitive workforce,” he added.

Addressing Employment Challenges

Balisacan emphasized that changes in the Philippine labor market—driven by automation, digitalization, and emerging technologies—pose new challenges to the country’s economic landscape.

Moreover, long-term pressures such as climate change and demographic shifts are also impacting labor market dynamics, he noted.

The DEPDev chief affirmed that these evolving trends underscore the urgent need for adaptive policies that foster economic growth and offer essential support to Filipino workers as they navigate these challenges.

“With our collective effort, we will create an inclusive, efficient, and dynamic labor market environment where Filipinos can access meaningful, quality jobs, enabling them to have a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay,” he reiterated.

Balisacan said the Marcos administration is determined to fully implement the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan, emphasizing its strong commitment to improving job quality and addressing persistent labor market issues.

DEPDev pointed out that the launch of the TPB Plan comes at a critical time. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on May 7 that the country’s underemployment rate rose to 13.4 percent in March 2025, up from 11.0 percent in the same period last year.

This figure translates to approximately 6.44 million Filipino workers seeking additional hours, a second job, or a new job with longer working hours. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remained steady at 3.9 percent, with the number of unemployed individuals declining to 1.93 million.

However, both labor force and employment levels contracted by approximately 1.2 million, resulting in a labor force participation rate of 62.9 percent in March 2025—down from 65.3 percent a year earlier.

According to the PSA, schooling and household responsibilities were the primary reasons individuals were not actively seeking employment.

Toward a Dynamic Labor Market and More Quality Jobs

The launch of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan is both timely and essential, according to DEPDev Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Rosemarie G. Edillon.

“The latest employment figures highlight the need for a comprehensive set of interventions to increase investments, encourage technology adoption, and improve job satisfaction and employment quality. The TPB Plan will serve as our strategic roadmap toward building resilient employment, fostering competitive enterprises, and preparing a future-ready workforce,” she emphasized.

Edillon said the TPB Plan offers a long-term strategic framework for job creation, labor market transformation, and inclusive workforce development.

Among the Plan's key components are the promotion of lifelong learning and the implementation of accelerated learning pathways—such as micro-credentials—to address underemployment and skills mismatches.

The private sector is expected to play a vital role in strengthening curriculum development, enhancing training delivery, and supporting job placement programs.

These efforts are outlined in the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework, which aims to better align workforce competencies with current and future industry demands.

The Plan also underscores the importance of establishing a national policy on lifelong learning—defining clear standards, actionable components, and success indicators to promote continuous learning across educational institutions and professional settings.

“In response to the rapidly growing demand for specialized skills, the government—through the TPB Plan—is expanding access to upskilling and reskilling opportunities for Filipino workers. These initiatives are crucial to addressing skills shortages and aligning the Philippine labor market with global workforce standards,” Edillon explained.

She also noted that the approval of the TPB Plan, along with the enactment of Republic Act No. 12145—which transformed NEDA into DEPDev—positions the country to better integrate economic and development goals into a cohesive, forward-looking strategy.

This strategy, she said, is designed to respond to evolving labor market dynamics influenced by automation, digitalization, emerging technologies, climate change, and demographic shifts.

Edillon further emphasized that the government will pursue measures to boost investments in high-impact priority sectors, foster innovation, and accelerate technology adoption.

To ensure the efficient use of public resources, the administration will implement Program Convergence Budgeting—a mechanism designed to strengthen the alignment of planning, programming, and budgeting processes, ensuring that priority programs and projects receive adequate funding.

Furthermore, to encourage greater labor force participation, Edillon highlighted the need to promote inclusive and flexible work arrangements. This may involve revisiting existing policy frameworks to support alternative work arrangements, such as part-time and output-based employment.

She also highlighted the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act, which enables professionals to earn a college degree through a comprehensive, competency-based assessment.

This initiative supports lifelong learning and opens new pathways for career advancement.

Emphasizing the strategic importance of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan 2025–2034, Edillon concluded, “Our collective task now is to translate this Plan into concrete action—guided by data, informed by social dialogue, and driven by a shared purpose.”